Every now and again, you'll come across a picture book that will give you pause, that'll cause you to carefully turn the pages in awe, to sit and consider all of the young people you've had the honor of teaching who will see themselves in these pages and rejoice. That was my reality encountering CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT for the first time and being so incredibly thankful to come across a book I've always known needed existing. 

Can we talk about this fantastic picture book by Sharee Miller? In DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR, Aria attempts to maneuver her day-to-day without complete strangers trying to pick and probe at her hair. I believe the best picture books are ones that resonate with adults too (and especially the ones who are still in the bedtime routine phase of parenting) and this one definitely qualifies as a book that I enjoy each time I pick it up. The humor is spot on, teaching children and adults alike the importance of setting boundaries for ourselves, in addition to respecting the boundaries of others. 

My absolute favorite way to spend an afternoon with my family, perusing bookstores and checking out new additions. I'm always curious about the choices bookstores make, about what titles they promote, about placement, about theme. I'm certain there's always the market to consider but I always wonder about the hearts and minds of the booksellers themselves, of what they are passionate about, of what they champion and want to promote, all of which shines through in the weekly rotation, in what stays and what goes.